AURORA, Colo. -- Aaron Thompson, the father of a 6-year-old girl reported missing in November 2005, appeared in court Thursday to hear he had been indicted on 60 counts relating to her death.

Later, Aurora police chief Dan Oates discussed the latest development in the case.

The charges against Thompson listed in the indictment include: child abuse resulting in death -- knowingly or recklessly, child abuse resulting in death -- criminal negligence, three counts of conspiracy to commit child abuse resulting in death, two counts of accessory to a crime, false reporting, concealing a death, abuse of a corpse, seven counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, nine counts of child abuse resulting in injury, and numerous other lesser charges.

The indictment alleges that Aaron Thompson "unlawfully and feloniously rendered assistance to Shely Lowe, with intent to hinder, delay, or prevent the discovery, detection, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of Shely Lowe for the commission of a crime, knowing that person committed the crime of child abuse resulting in death."

The charges listed against Thompson are in an indictment which was released Thursday afternoon. The information used to form the indictment was removed from the document before it was made public.

Not all of the charges contained in the indictment involve Aarone Thompson, officials said. They would no elaborate.

Thompson arrived in the Arapahoe County court room clad in an orange jumpsuit and shackles. A public defender was appointed to represent him after attorney David Lane withdrew from the case.

On Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Dan Oates held a news conference to discuss the lengthy investigation by his officers.

"I have never seen such a difficult and complex case with so many challenges that was handled so superbly," said Oates. "They worked quietly and tenaciously to investigate this case involving Aarone Thompson."

Thompson is being held on $500,000 bond and his next court appearance was set for May 29. Some questioned the bond amount Thursday.

"There's no place that Aaron Thompson could go that we can't find him, and I don't think he has the capacity to post a $500,000 bond," said Oates.

Thompson's daughter, Aarone, is presumed dead. Her body has never been found. A final photo of her shows her at the Grand Canyon in 2002.

Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, were always considered persons of interest in the case. In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS in December 2005, Thompson said that he did not kill his daughter. Lowe said she had nothing to do with Aarone's disappearance, and she maintained her innocence up to her death in May 2006.

"I have found it remarkable that over these 18 months that people who have been supporters of Aaron Thompson and Shely Lowe have been critical of this department. Our response to them is the 60-count indictment."

Oates said he looked forward to the trial of Aaron Thompson.

"We are absolutely committed and prepared to prove our case in court and that will be the next step," he told reporters.

Thompson had called police on Nov. 15, 2005, saying that his 6-year-old daughter ran away after a family fight. A massive search involving hundreds of volunteers and police officers ensued. Three days later, police called off the search and said that the girl was not missing, but had been dead for up to 18 months.

Police said that no credible witness had seen Aarone for at least a year and the family couldn't provide a recent picture of her. She wasn't enrolled in any school and a search of the Thompson home revealed the mattress on her bed was missing. It has never been found.

After the case changed from a missing persons case to a homicide investigation, seven children were removed from the couple's home and placed in the care of social services.

On May 4, 2006, police announced that the case would go to a grand jury. Eight days later, Lowe died of heart problems. The grand jury indictment was delivered Wednesday.

A tape recording that police have appears to show Lowe saying that Aarone was dead and buried.

A civil court found Thompson responsible for "serious bodily injury or the death" of his daughter in a dependency and neglect case brought against Thompson by social services.

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